The Grand Rapids Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) are today announcing the recovery of the “Ruby Red Slippers,” The slippers, one of at least three other known existing pairs used in the filming of “The Wizard of Oz”, were stolen in 2005 from a Grand Rapids museum, the Judy Garland Museum located at 2727 Pokegama Avenue South. Grand Rapids is the birthplace of Frances Gumm whose stage name was Judy Garland. Garland starred as “Dorothy” in the 1939 film. The slippers were on loan to the museum by a private collector, Michael Shaw, as part of a ten-week travelling tour.

Sometime between 5:45 PM on August 27th and 9:45 Am on August 28th, a burglar broke a window in the museum’s back door and entered. The thief smashed a Plexiglas case resting on a wooden podium in the museum’s gallery and made off with the slippers that were insured for 1 million dollars. The alarm did not sound to a central dispatch station. No fingerprints were left behind.

“The police department really had no evidence and no clues to work with,” said Grand Rapids Police Sergeant Robert Stein. “All we had was a single sequence that had fallen off one of the slippers. The investigator assigned to the case was fearful that the thief might destroy the slippers if he believed the police were on his trail. Therefore, when rumors developed that local wayward youth were most likely responsible for the theft and had tossed the slippers into the Mississippi River or in one of the many water filled iron ore pits that dot the landscape, we did little to dispel it. We believed that information would eventually surface and knew we were in this for the long haul,” said Stein. “Over the years, our officers investigated numerous tips as they came in, eliminating each one. The problem is that there are a great many reproductions out there and people believed that these were the stolen slippers. Each proved not to be the missing slippers. As recently as two weeks ago, we received a telephone call from a psychic telling us that she was sure she knew where the slippers were.”

The break in the case came in the summer of 2017 when Grand Rapids Police Detective Brian Mattson received information regarding the slippers. This information led to connections outside of Minnesota. “Minnesota law enforcement agencies don’t have jurisdiction outside the state and most, including our department, lack the necessary resources to conduct a major out of state investigation. Therefore, we reached out to our partners in the FBI. They became the lead investigative agency,” said Mattson.

Working with the FBI, earlier this summer the missing Ruby Red Slippers were recovered in Minneapolis. They are now in the possession of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. “The exact details of the investigation are not being released at this time as this remains an active investigation,” said Grand Rapids Police Sergeant Robert Stein.

“We are most grateful for the expertise and effort the dedicated agents of the FBI put into this case. If it wasn’t for their hard work, the slippers would not have been recovered,” said Grand Rapids Assistant Police Chief Steve Schaar.

“Twenty five years ago I was privileged to attend the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Virginia,” stated Grand Rapids Police Chief Scott Johnson.“ Before we walked out of the Academy doors for the last time we were told, “If you ever need help from the FBI, just ask. We will pull out all the stops for you. Twice, during my career as a Minnesota Police Chief, I have asked for that help. Each time the FBI has come through.”

“When the slippers were snatched in that early morning burglary, the thief not only took the slippers but also a piece of history that will be forever connected to Grand Rapids and one of our city’s most famous children. We knew this day would eventually come and we are grateful to the FBI and all those that worked so hard to bring this piece of cinematic treasure out of the shadows and into the light. After all, ‘There’s no place like home!”

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It's In Minnesota's Nature

For those seeking the ideal balance of community and wilderness
Grand Rapids and Itasca County are in the middle of the Minnesota north woods
where the nature of the community reflects and complements the splendor and strength of the outdoors
so priorities are in their natural order and perspective remains fresh.